The Liberation of Anastasia Steele
by winkipop
Summary: Ana finds herself at home a lot these days. Not while Christian's latest threat, rival businessman Ryan Gordon, is on the loose. But what is Christian keeping about Ryan that will finally reveal to Ana the truth about her beloved? Will she finally be able to escape her paranoid and abusive husband before it's too late? Alternate timeline set after Chapter 11 of Fifty Shades Freed.
1. Chapter 1

**TW: Emotional and slight physical abuse**

**Chapter 1**

Anastasia Steele stared out of the window of the high-rise apartment with a dejected heart. She hadn't left the house since she her night out with Katherine. Christian didn't want her to. He saw no need for her and as long as she was at home she was safe, as far as he was concerned.

Of course, with Christian as her boss' boss' boss, he had also pulled as many strings as he could to get her to 'telecommute' from now on. Ana was now stuck working at home five days a week, no longer able to meet with clients face to face or get involved with office camaraderie with her co-workers. There had been plenty of whispers around the place why Ana was being confined to work from home, especially in the wake of Jack Hyde's sudden departure. Some claimed Ana was having Jack's illegitimate child and was being made to leave under a cloud (Ana praying Christian hadn't heard _that_ one…), while others said Ana had been a spy all along for Grey Enterprises Holdings. She had even heard the one about her supposedly being deported back to Russia like that female spy in the news a couple of years back. She'd never even _been _there before!

Many, naturally, were glad to see the back of Ana now that she had practically been give Jack Hyde's job on a silver platter, though having a boss who was barely out of college controlling things from afar still managed to sting.

Not that Ana was being fulfilled with work at home any better. She had gone through all the manuscripts she had been entrusted with so far and sent back her notes to a couple of authors awaiting replies and had discussed the latest non-fiction figures with marketing via Skype and had now finished for the day. At 2pm. With nothing else to do and nowhere to go.

Staring at the same bare walls, Ana sat at the kitchen counter with only the buzzing of the fridge to keep her company. Poor Mrs Jones had been fired in the wake of the Hyde scandal, Christian in his paranoid state dismissing employees who he thought may be a security risk for whatever reason, no longer wanting anyone else with Ana while she worked at home. She never even had a chance to say goodbye to her.

Jack Hyde had been captured and was now locked in county prison awaiting trial. She should've been breathing easy. She hadn't even been here when he planned to exact his horrifying plan to kidnap her. Leila was also hundreds of miles away no longer able to touch her or Christian, no long able to bring harm to herself or anyone else. Ana should've been happy. Christian should've been at his most calm. He was easier to deal with when he was calm, when everything was in control and Ana not having to walk on eggshells trying to gauge his mood.

It should've all been easier now.

And Ana thought it _was_… until Christian had been confronted with a new crisis just a week after Jack Hyde's capture.

He had told her he'd received threatening phone calls and emails from a rival business owner, Ryan Gordon of Gordon Enterprises, another telecommunications and electronics company who had also tried to claim the patent for the satellite cell phone Christian's own company had been trying to manufacture for the past year and a half to market as a cheaper alternative to poorer communities in Africa. Christian said Ryan had tried to take the claim to court, but since the case had been thrown out Ryan had apparently become hell-bent with making Christian pay for supposedly stealing his concept.

Christian never told Ana much about what he did at work, but he had looked so spooked the night he finally told her what had been happening Ana couldn't help but worry.

"Ryan Gordon's trying to scare us, he has forever wanted to topple Grey Enterprises with his ludicrous claims, sniping like a schoolyard bully," he spat, his eyes cast low as Ana's heart was wrenched with the sight of her poor, lost boy. "This time he's gone _too far._ This petulance within the business world, I can tolerate, but to begin threatening my wife and I is _beyond _the pale!"

"What did he even say?" Ana asked, feeling her body go numb. "Did he threaten anyone else? Your father? Your mother?"

"No, it was just us… you and me. I can handle the slings and arrows thrown _my_ way, but if any harm should…" Christian swallowed hard, gripping on to the edge of the kitchen counter hard, his anger palpable in the air. "If anyone were to harm _you_, I'd die a thousand deaths. I wouldn't go on without you. I'd _tear_ this world apart in my fury, to ensure the _rest_ of this world would suffer as I had."

Ana took a cautious step back. Whenever Christian started talking like this, it was usually time for the inner goddess in her to duck for cover. It was going to be a tense night and there was only one way Christian would want to deal with his anger…She took a deep breath.

"What did Ryan actually say to you?"

Christian tried to steel himself as he looked up at Ana before trying to process the pain, squeezing his eyes shut as he clenched his fist.

"He said… he said he would slit my throat if I ever spoke about the satellite cell phone plans again. He'd make sure I'd be six feet under before I ever had it manufactured, that I'd be nothing but a desecrated corpse by the end of it, the authorities won't even be able to identify me! But what he said about _you_… Well, how _can_ I possibly live if you're no longer in my world, Mrs Grey?"

"But what did he say about _me?_" Ana asked, chills running up and down her spine.

Christian took a step forward, taking hold of Ana's arm, gripping tightly. Ana tried to pull away, but Christian didn't budge.

"Ana… it doesn't matter what he said, it's just…"

"Christian! I'm your wife! You _need_ to tell me these things if our lives are in danger like this! You can't do this again like you did with Leila and Jack! I have as much right to know as _you_ do."

"Ana, it doesn't _matter_."

"Christian, fucking tell me now!"

He roughly pulled her forward with both hands, digging his fingers into her arms.

"_Don't_ push me," he spoke through gritted teeth. "_Don't_ start with that smart mouth of yours, watch your language."

Ana could feel her muscles tense in her arms. She couldn't push Christian too far. She had seen what would happen if she did and it wasn't pretty. Chances are he was already nearing the edge right about now… She had to bring him back down again before he could do something about it.

"Christian," she spoke gently. "Please, I just want to _help_ you… You need to tell me these things. You're hurt, you're in pain and I just want to ease it. _Please_, let me in."

Christian gazed at her with hard, blank eyes. But it seemed Ana's words were getting to him as the grip on her arms finally loosened.

"The things he said were most utterly vile," he spoke softly. "I just didn't want to worry you like that. He practically said that the last image I would live to see was he fucking you, that you would revel under his touch, that he would make you scream and moan like no other man ever has…" He swallowed hard, sick at thought. "That he would wrap his hands around your throat and squeeze as you took _his _pleasure…"

Ana was utterly repulsed by Ryan's sick fantasies, that he would ever dream of doing such things as her husband lay dying. Ryan Gordon was definitely one sick fucker and the thought of yet another lunatic gaining access into their lives like this and threatening the sweet little life Ana strove for made her sick to her stomach. Just _one_ moment of peace, she wanted.

Ana could feel the tears prick her eyes, letting out a shuddered breath. Thank God security was manning every door of the Escala building, a measure Christian had demanded on after Jack Hyde's capture. You couldn't enter through the front door or any other exit without permission, much to the irritation of other occupants but Christian couldn't care less. Not when Ana's safety was tantamount.

"Come now," Christian said, taking Ana's hand as he pulled her closer, planting a soft kiss upon her lips. "Let's go to bed. I need you to ease my worries."

It was jarring to watch his composure switch from furious to calm as if it were nothing. Ana felt herself go numb once more. She was in no mood for what Christian had in mind, her stomach still quivering at the thought of Ryan Gordon trying to harm him in any way, what sick designs he had on her.

"Christian, I just… How about we just hold one another for a while? C'mon, you've had a tiring day, you're stressed. Why not just have a quiet night?"

Christian's gaze hardened once more, pressing Ana roughly against him as she could feel his erection through his jeans, still thinking otherwise.

"Defying me once _again_, Mrs Grey?" he said, rather bitterly. "I thought we knocked that out of you the night after Hyde was caught. I _thought_ we had we had discussed this. You want me _not_ to be stressed? Then let me take you to bed."

Ana felt herself shiver. She tried not to think back to that night, how Christian kept denying her release, making her strain against the chains as she tried to fight the pain, her cries reverberating off the walls of the Red Room of Pain. she had pleaded with him to stop until she gave the safeword, he claimed it was all part of his desperate need for control. She had tried to reason with him and tried to understand his controlling tendencies, admonishing herself for not helping him more, to be a little easier on him. He had a hard life, after all, this was meant to be part of his healing process. Above all else, Ana just wanted him to talk to her again, to feel him close against her, to love her, to stop being so cold towards her like he had the night after Jack had been caught and blamed her for disobeying him. It had to be done.

"Christian, I just… I just _can't_ tonight, alright? I'm not exactly in the mood after hearing about yet _another _person in your life trying to terrorise us and hearing the disgusting things he wants to do to me."

Christian was, of course, displeased. He proceeded to drag her along to the Red Room of Pain, Ana eventually giving in as there was no point in fighting it. Who knows what he planned to do tonight. Maybe this _is_ what he needed. He might be calm. He might be kinder. Maybe he really _did_ need to just de-stress. If it would help ease her poor little lost boy, then she was more than willing to please.

Now Ana found herself here alone in this cold art gallery of a non-home surrounded by white walls closing in on her a little more every day, just a month after the latest threat Ryan Gordon posed. This _isn't _what she wanted. She had specifically told Christian she didn't want not spend her days at home twiddling her thumbs while she waited for him to be done for the day being Captain of Industry. But, of course, he went ahead and did what he felt was best. He wanted her to trust him, he said, for her world to begin _and_ end with him. Looks like he got his wish after all.

And to think he had her name taken off the security list at SIP, no longer even _allowed_ in the building so she had no excuse to go there anymore. Ana tried to confront him that he was practically keeping her prisoner now, but, naturally, it was _all_ for her own good.

"C'mon, Ana," he told her. "You're the boss, there's no _need_ for you to be there. You have everything you need at the apartment anyway. What do you have at your _office_ that you could possibly need? I could build you your own office, if you like."

"Well, I _did_ have people to talk to, people who wanted to know me…" Until Christian decided to buy the company, that is… That did a pretty good job of ensuring no more after work drinks.

"To _gossip_ with?" Christian snapped back. "Shouldn't you be working anyway, like you wanted? Now you have all the time at home to do that."

And that had swiftly brought an end to the discussion. No matter what Ana had said, it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Ana had wandered around the apartment at least seven or eight times now. This was nothing like she had in mind for her career in the publishing industry. She was supposed to be attending meetings. She was supposed to be sitting in her own office at her own desk with pictures of her friends and family in front of her and those cute little cat figurines her mom gave her from that market they went to in Texas one weekend. She was meant to be eating lunch in the communal kitchen out back. She was meant to be chatting with Claire at the reception desk.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

But every time Ana thought things were working out, some new crisis would come along to disrupt everything: Leila, Jack, Elena and now bloody _Ryan Gordon_. Just when she thought Christian would begin to ease up and maybe let her out from under his thumb so much, he would revert back to the aloof and paranoid Christian he became when some issue arose, no matter how big or small. Someone else was yet again out to get him and he needed to retain control as soon as possible.

The silence of the apartment was getting to Ana. It was flooding her ears and filling her head with an uncomfortable fog. She had to create some noise in here. Something, _anything_ would do.

Ana quickly headed into the media room where the large flat screen sat, where beautiful black leather recliners faced. She never really got to watch much TV in here, Christian always preferring to sit in the dining room to sit and chat (Well, whenever he _did _decide to initiate the discussion, usually about some discretion of Ana's that she had so committed or to listen to his ramblings about Jack Hyde and how he would murder him…) Because Christian thought all TV was merely 'drivel,' he wouldn't allow for it to be on while he was around. Ana had recently had so many near-misses during the week trying to stream episodes online of the delightfully trashy _Rock of Love _before Christian got home. It was one of the shows Kate and her used to watch together, thoroughly discussing in detail why _any_ woman would want to cleave themselves to the utterly repulsive Bret Michaels.

Ana's heart sank and she went over to the sound system and scrolled through her iPod sitting in the dock. She hadn't heard from Kate since the night Jack Hyde broke in. Maybe Christian had told her to back off and stay away from them. She hadn't even called or emailed. In fact, no one had called, not even Mom or Ray. After Christian had organised for Ana to work from home, he had bought Ana a whole new Mac desktop and Samsung Galaxy phone to celebrate, organising for all her files to be transferred and her phone numbers and emails to be put on her new phone. Ana appreciated the thought, but Christian knew she wasn't the greatest with technology. She was still learning how to download apps from the Google Play store. Just making a call on that thing was a miracle.

Ana scrolled through the playlist, finally settling on Nelly Furtado's 'Try' from Christian's special apology playlist after she broke up with him that horrific night she wished to forget. She could still feel the bite of the belt snap against her skin, quickly shaking off the feeling. It was the only song she admittedly liked on the playlist, though, soon growing bored of all the songs Christian put on there, not that she had the heart to tell him and put up with his pouting. Besides, her playlist was Christian's playlist. The iTunes account was in his name and new songs could only be uploaded by him. Ana didn't want to tell him she didn't like most of the songs he liked. It would only end in an argument, just like everything else…

The strange thing was when she paid attention to the lyrics, 'Try' was actually quite a sad song, full of self-defeat and loathing, trying to hold together a relationship long past its use-by date and deluding yourself into thinking everything was sunshine and roses:

_Then I see you standing there  
Wanting more from me  
And all I can do is try_

_I wish I hadn't seen all of the realness_  
_And all the real people are really not real at all_

_The more I learn the more I learn_  
_The more I cry the more I cry_  
_As I say goodbye to the way of life I thought I had designed for me_

As the song played, her attention then turned to the DVD shelf, flipping through the titles. _The Piano, Silence of the Lambs, Citizen Kane, An Inconvenient Truth… _Most of the DVDs were Christian's, of course. There really wasn't a lot to choose from after all, Christian's tastes usually being a whole lot drier than Ana's. No comedies, no TV box sets, no musicals, no guilty pleasure movies…

Lucky Ana had put a few of her movies on the shelf, pulling out _Becoming Jane _and slipping on the DVD as she turned her iPod off. She got settled in as she curled up on the couch, still in her sweat pants and hoodie. There was no need to dress up for work anymore, so she didn't bother trying. What was the point?

She had seen this movie so many times, she had lost count. It was yet another favourite of hers and Kate's, getting to watch one of her favourite authors come to life on screen while ogling the fine beauty that was the incredibly blue-eyed James McAvoy in period garb, making Ana weak at the knees. She had never admitted it to anyone and especially _not_ Christian, but he had definitely always been Ana's ultimate fantasy date.

She breathed a sigh of relief. She could squeeze in a movie before Christian got home at around six or seven. Plenty of time. There was definitely no better way to pass the time than with star-crossed lovers making longing gazes at one another.

But as Ana made it through about 20 minutes of the movie, she suddenly heard someone call out to her as the front door closed. Christian! _Crap._

Ana quickly checked the time on her phone: 2:45pm. Why so early? She tried to scramble for the remote to switch off the movie, but by the time she'd found it, Christian had already made it to the media room.

"Ana? Oh, thank God. I thought you were _gone…_"

He casually strolled over and slumped down on the leather sofa beside her, indulging her with a long, passionate kiss as if it had been a lifetime since he had last seen her."

"So, what is _this_ movie?" Christian drawled, finally coming up for air as he looked at the flatscreen. "One of those poncy BBC productions, no doubt. I don't _think_ this is one of my films."

"It's _Becoming Jane," _Ana replied, with a sigh. Great, just when she had the whole house to herself, Christian had to disrupt the brief moment of serenity she had, no doubt filling it with probing questions as he would want to be notified of every move she made.

"Hmm. I'll stay and watch, then. Be closer to you, _wife,_" Christian whispered, planting a kiss upon Ana's cheek as she tried to strain a smile. _Great. _Just _great._

"But shouldn't you be _working, _Mrs Grey?" Christian enquired, deciding to talk right through the movie like Ana feared. "I pulled a _lot_ of strings to get you this and _you_ were the one who wanted to keep working, after all."

"I've done everything for the day," she told him. "I'll be sent another few manuscripts tomorrow and I'm waiting on emails from a couple of authors." She shrugged. "That's all I've got for now."

"Well, you wouldn't have to worry about all this if you had just given up work," Christian murmured. "I don't see the point when you get to live like a queen, when _I_ provide all you could ever dream of…"

Ana huffed under her breath. She really didn't want to go through this argument again.

"Some of us like to be kept busy," she replied. "Not all of us want to wander aimlessly at home waiting for someone to arrive."

Christian smirked.

"Doesn't sound _too_ bad to me, Mrs Grey. Do you _dislike_ waiting for me to arrive home to greet you with a prowess no other man could possibly satisfy you with?"

"Not at all, Mr Grey," said Ana, though she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Her eyes stayed fixed to the movie, one of her favourite scenes coming up. She began to blush as she watched Tom jumping into the river naked as Jane spied from behind the bushes before leaving, Ana giggling at the obvious.

It was a harmless reaction, but Christian's demeanour suddenly changed, growing stiff as he turned from the TV then to Ana. Ana could feel the atmosphere change. Uh oh. She kept her gaze directly on the movie, trying not to notice Christian.

"Does his naked form _amuse_ you, Mrs Grey? "

"Well… yes. It's a good bit, so don't interrupt."

"Do you _like_ this actor, Ana? You seem to be rather captivated by him. Has he done so before?"

"What are you _talking_ about, Christian?"

"Just an observation, Mrs Grey. Who is he? Have you seen him before? You _know_ I can read your body language well, better than you can. I know he flatters you, Ana. Don't think I don't know how your breasts heave and cheeks flush…"

"_Christian_, be quiet!" Ana scolded.

"Who _is_ he, Ana? _Tell me."_

"I don't know!" she lied. "Now _please_ stop talking through the movie!"

He still wouldn't let up.

"Are you _lying_ to me, Mrs Grey? You know how _helpless_ you make me feel when you put me in a quandary like this."

"Christian, please just pay attention to the movie."

He ended up grabbing her face, making Ana look him in the eye.

"Ana, I _can't_ have you lusting after another man like this," he spoke through gritted teeth. "Do you fantasise about him? How he can take you to bed? How he can _fuck _you…"

Ana just stared at Christian wide-eyed, pulling herself away from him as she managed to free herself from his hands.

"_What?_ Christian, are you _mad?_ It's just a guy in a movie! I don't know _him_, he doesn't know _me_. So what if I think he's cute? It doesn't mean I'm gonna suddenly run away with him! For someone that's supposed to run a multi-million dollar empire, you sure can be dense! Don't _you_ have any crushes?"

"How can you _accuse_ me of such a thing?!" Christian spat, still pouting. "You _wound_ me with your suggestion, Mrs Grey, if you still _are _Mrs Grey, that is. I lust after no one. You are mine. You are_ all_ I need. My obsession for you knows no bounds. No other woman could _ever_ measure."

Ana merely scoffed.

"_C'mon_, Christian! Even when you were younger, you didn't have any posters on your wall of some _Sports Illustrated_ models or Britney Spears or someone?'

"_No._ My lust for other women has long ceased since I claimed you, Mrs Grey. And I don't want _you_ doing the same with some other _fucker_ on screen in front of me," he snarled. "Or with _anyone_, for that matter."

Ana let out a long, deep sigh. He was really testing her patience now.

"Christian, these kinds of crushes are _meaningless._ It's never gonna happen in a million years, you can't go around being jealous of every guy who's so much as within the same vicinity as me! What are you gonna do, put a hessian sack over my head when we go out so no other guy looks at me?"

"Frankly, Mrs Grey, I _would_ if I could," Christian replied. "It would give me _so_ much pleasure to see you in such a state, as helpless as I am right now…"

Ana groaned, putting her head in her hands.

"Christian, you _can't_ do this! I'm _not_ going to up and run away with some other guy! So what if I happen to have a crush on some actor I'll never meet who's probably married anyway? _I love __**you**__._ _You_ are the one who I'm with! So I can't have a past where I happened to _dare_ look at another man?"

"Yes, Ana. I _don't_ want you to have a past. Or a _future_ with anyone else."

"But _you_ had a past, Christian. You had subs and other lovers and Mrs Robinson before me. How come _you_ get to have a past and have fucked half of Seattle and _I_ can't even have an innocent crush on someone famous?"

Christian then snapped. Ana herself didn't even see it coming. He roughly pulled Ana into his lap, clasping her wrists as tightly as possible as she struggled to pull herself free.

"I _don't_ want to think of any other man with you," he continued, enjoying watching her squirm. "I _don't _want to think of the actor kissing you so passionately while I take you in the playroom. I _don't_ want to think of how you made out with your science lab partner in 10th Grade while I bury myself in you in our _marital _bed. I _don't_ want to think of every man who passes you on the street wanting in your panties as I make you scream as I grab that delectable derriere of yours. That is for _me_ and _me only."_

His hand then moved to her throwing, beginning to squeeze.

"_You are mine_. You have my name now. You are _branded._ Forsaking _all_ others, remember, my dear? Respect your vow to me. Frankly, I am _glad_ you work at home while Ryan Gordon runs loose. You stay where I _know_ you are. You are out of sight and I don't _let_ what is mine out of my sight. No other man can reach you here…"

He then got up and swung Ana over his shoulder, casually walking out of the media room before she could comprehend what was happening.

"Christian! Christian, put me _down_! What are you doing?!"

"_Retribution_, Mrs Grey_," _he replied rather breezily, though there was still an edge to his voice. "I'll show you things even the actor has probably never thought to do. I'll make you so sore, you won't even remember his face."

As Ana tried to struggle out of Christian's hold, he swatted her on the arse, flinching as she felt the sting. The last thing she saw before being dragged out of the media room was the scene where Jane overhears her father arguing with her mother that Jane not marry herself off to the man who bid the highest price.

**('Try' lyrics courtesy of Lets Sing It)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

He had used the same handcuffs from their honeymoon, Ana straining and pulling against them as he decided to use the belt on her, what he promised never to do again since the night she left him. He assured her it was only a few slaps or so, that she could take it, but Ana had still cried out in pain. She couldn't remember much that.

Ana wasn't able to sit down anywhere, her backside still incredibly tender. She could only guess Christian ensured so she couldn't sit down to watch another movie again in the media room. As she gently pulled herself out of bed, she was taken aback by the sight of Christian still in bed at 8:30am.

"Christian? Christian?" she whispered. "You'll be late for work."

He rolled over, still half-asleep as he smirked at her, Ana unable to help herself but admire his sculpted form, getting her every time.

"I'm staying in today," he told her. "Thought I would spend the day with you. Keep an eye on things around here for once."

Ana went cold, no longer finding her husband so desirable. How would she get any work done with him around, forever pestering her to join him in the Red Room of Pain again and making her spend the rest of the day in bed? She was due another couple of manuscripts today and another teleconference with marketing to discuss plans to add Young Adult novels to their catalogue in time for summer.

"How can you just take a day off?" Ana asked him, trying to keep the tremor from her voice. "Don't you have the satellite cell phone plans to deal with? What about Ryan Gordon, isn't he still threatening you? How can you stay home at a time like this?"

"Oh, that's all being dealt with," he quickly brushed off.

"Don't you have any more information on him?"

"Er… nothing yet. Still searching. Taylor's dealing with all that, I'll call him this afternoon."

Of course, Ana had been late for the teleconference, Christian insisting on making love to his wife in bed. He had obviously been her first and only love, but now that the naivety had long worn off, Ana had noticed that Christian was _not _the uber-romantic love god he had made himself out to be for her. He didn't even know how to listen to her concerns in the Red Room of Pain. She thought she would leave it all up to him, that he would know best but she always felt uncomfortable, always feeling she was being steamroller over as he did as he pleased. She remembered reading during her research when they first started dating that the best BDSM was also safe, sane and consensual, that it was supposed to be fun and kinky… then how come Ana didn't feel that way when Christian was handcuffing her so tight?

As Ana still waited on the next couple of manuscripts, she decided to send Kate a quick email, smoothing things over a bit and trying to rectify any damage Christian may have caused in the wake of Hyde's capture:

_'Hey Kate,_

_Look, no matter what Christian may have told you, I'm not angry with you. You don't need to keep staying away because you think I want you to. Why don't you come by later or at least meet up at my place on the weekend or something? Elliott might've already told you about the latest threat against Christian. I don't know who Ryan Gordon is, but I really do hope he's eventually caught. Christian says security's on it, but I won't be calm until he's caught. I hate it when Christian gets stressed like this. Hopefully he'll be okay soon enough. _

_Sorry for Christian freaking out and all that, but he is under immense pressure. Come over sometime, I miss you._

_A x_

Ana went to send the email, but seconds later had it pinged back to her, failing to go through. She huffed, copy and pasting the whole thing again while carefully rewriting Kate's email address. She'd done this plenty of times before, one thing about technology she could breeze through. It's not like it was that difficult to type out, just Kate's full name to her Gmail account.

But every time she tried, it just got sent back to her.

"Christian?" she called out. "Is the internet working for you?"

He came in, standing by the kitchen door, his arms folded.

"It's just fine for me," he purred.

Ana was in no mood to play along, though.

"I'm trying to send this email to Kate, but it's not working. I sent emails to work and they're just fine."

Christian pursed his lips.

"Shouldn't you be working?"

"I just wanted to make sure she was okay. I haven't seen her in ages, Christian."

He narrowed his eyes at her, his shoulders tensing.

"See if _Kate's_ okay? For what? Making my wife defy me that night by dragging her to a bar where God knows who could've reached her?"

Before Ana could respond, Christian charged back to his study and slammed the door behind him.

Ana was left deflated. Great, Christian would be pouting for the rest of the day. _Why_ would a billionaire CEO just easily throw off work so he could stay home and put his wife off her own?

His mood didn't matter. Ana got up and grabbed her phone off the kitchen counter, dialling Kate's number but was taken aback as she was left with nothing but the following:

_'This number has been blocked by the administrator. If you have any problems with your service provider, please call…'_

Ana hung up. Kate blocked her number? Was she _that_ angry at her? What did Christian actually say to her?

She could feel the tears about to spill. Ana took a shuddered breath and decided to call Mom instead, really needing the shoulder to cry on as she contemplated the horrible thought that her best and only true friend deciding to cut her off entirely. How could Kate _do _this? Ana's hands shook as she finally found the contacts list on this damned new phone and dialled her mother's number:

_'This number has been blocked by the administrator. If you have any problems with your service provider, please call…'_

Ana ended the call. What was happening? Her heart started to race as she scrolled through all the other numbers on her phone, deciding to try Ray's number, then Bob's, then Jose's, then SIP reception…

_'This number has been blocked by the administrator. If you have any problems with your service provider, please call…'_

When Ana finally landed on Christian's number, he picked it up on the first ring. She froze, trying to stop the cell from slipping out of her hand.

"Ana? Ana, what's wrong?"

She couldn't speak. This man, _her husband_ who bought her this sophisticated and expensive new phone had blocked the phone numbers of her family and friends. He had cut her off from those who knew and loved her. Christian had actually _blocked_ out her family and friends from contacting her…

She hung up on him, quickly, running over to the home phone across from the kitchen counter and began to dial Kate's cell number… and got nothing but silence. The call wasn't going through. She quickly put in Kate's home phone and got the same response, her mother's number, same response, Ray's number, Bob's number, Jose's number…

_What was going on?_

Ana couldn't stop herself from shaking as she put the phone back on the hook. Christian was cutting her off from everyone she knew. He had overstepped the mark. What the _fuck_ did he think he was doing?!

She could hear footsteps thudding down the hall, turning around just as Christian appeared at the kitchen door once more, wide-eyed and frightened.

"Ana, what's wrong? What are you doing?"

As he stepped towards her ready to take her into his arms, she shoved him away.

"You _blocked_ my emails and phone numbers?!" she screamed at him, still shaking rather violently as she swung her fists against his chest before he grabbed hold of her wrists.

"Ana, what are you – "

"Don't _Ana_ me!" she snapped, practically frothing at the mouth. "_That's_ why no one has called me for the past month or so? Because you _blocked_ them without me knowing?!"

"Ana, let me explain – "

"_Explain?_ Why would you _do that_, Christian?" Ana could stop herself from breaking out into sobs, her arms falling limply to her sides. "My _family_, my _friends!_"

"Ana, _calm down_, let me explain."

Christian led her to the stool by the counter to sit, tipping her chin to make her look up at him.

"Ana, we have to do this. Not while Ryan Gordon is still out there. We have to start cutting people off, damaging people, people who could pose a threat to us."

Ana was agog, to say the least.

"But… they're all people that _I_ know. What about your family?"

"They pose no threat. Everyone you know, however… They're in the way.'

'In the way? Of what?"

Christian sighed, sitting in the stool beside Ana. He leaned in as he rested a hand on her lap.

"Ana… Look, it's just best if you don't see anyone anymore. You don't _need_ them. You only need me, sweetheart. I want to protect you from anything or anyone who poses a threat to our love. We don't need anybody anyway, it's just _us_ now. I don't need to share you with anyone else, the moment you legally became mine they gave up their ownership. _I _claim you now. You're all I need and you should only have _me_ to rely on."

Ana couldn't find the words at first. He sounded crazy, the eerily calm way Christian spoke actually rationalising why he was keeping her prisoner, why she should just let him 'protect' her, to think she would just go along with it all _without her knowledge…_

"But… Christian, my friends and family… they've done _nothing_ to you. They came to our wedding, they talked to you, they never said a bad word about you!"

He quickly rose from his seat, the stool making a sharp screech against the tiled floor as Christian stared her down, his eyes narrowed.

"They are _all_ against us, Ana. You can't trust _anyone_. Your mother kept you from me when you ran away to Georgia. Your father is suspicious of me. The _photographer_ has always wanted in your panties and _Katherine_ is nothing but a lying _whore_ who tries to keep you from me and drag you out to bars when I'm not around. Frankly, the longer I keep you here the more I keep you from those trying to tear us apart. I'm not letting them keep you from me any longer and I'm not letting that bastard Gordon near you, either."

Ana could only stare back wide-eyed.

"You should be glad you have me here. Now you can stay with me and have no reason to step out ever again. Ryan Gordon is the best thing to ever happen to us, in a way. He keeps you here with me…"

Cutting him off, however, was someone screaming down the hall.

"Ana! Ana! Ana, come out here _now!_"

Before Christian could catch up to her, Ana ran to the front door and came to face a distressed Katherine Kavanagh trying to wrestle free from one security guard's stronghold.

"Ana, Ana you need to _listen _to me!" she managed to scream out.

"Kate!"

Ana immediately ran towards her, but Christian caught up with her this time and dragged her back towards the front door.

"Wait, _stop!_ Kate! _Kate!"_

Before she could answer, Kate was forced back down the hall, struggling to turn around as she tried to look back at Ana as Ana herself was pulled back inside the apartment by Christian's brute force.

"Christian! Why is she here, what aren't you telling me?" she snapped, her voice rough and ragged. "What are you keeping from _me?!_"

"She is a troublemaker, Ana!" Christian screamed back. "She wants to hurt us, she wants to take you away from me! She's just making up lies now trying to get back at me! She doesn't _know_ you like I do!"

"She's my _best friend!"_

"She is _gone now! I_ should be your only friend! She put your in danger while I was out of town! She _owes me_ your life! _This_ is why you can't go out anymore! Everyone is out to get you and _I_ have to stop them! They can't take away from me what's mine..."

'Christian, you're scaring me…"

"Katherine _can't_ take you out of here! Not while Ryan Gordon is still running around out there!" Christian exclaimed, heaving in a few breaths. "What is she going to do, take you out _shopping_ so Ryan can go kidnap you outside of Macy's?! What fun! Katherine Kavanagh does _not_ have your best interests at heart. You shall stay here and be _safe. _Do _not_ defy me. She is nothing but a two-bit _slut_ groping all over that brother of mine, she comes in and disrupts everything!"

For some reason, Christian decided to sweep Ana into a passionate kiss, pressing hard on her lips as she tried to resist. When he came up for air, his gaze remained hard and blank.

"_You are mine,_ Mrs Grey," he said, his voice low and once again eerie. Ana felt a chill run through her. "_Don't_ question it. The security measures remain in place. You will call _no one._ Not Katherine, not your mother and _especially _not the photographer. If that displeases you, you can take it out on me in bed later tonight."

As if it were nothing, his demeanour returned to calm and he casually strolled out of the room, heading back to his study and yet again slamming the door behind him.

As it all caught up with her, Ana fell to her knees on the kitchen tiles. She really _was_ a prisoner. She was trapped. No way out.

She couldn't breathe.

He had held her throughout the night, wrapping around her tightly like ivy, so much so she could barely move. Christian had pleaded for forgiveness, but it rang hollow at best. He still demanded she was his. Ana would remain at home indefinitely. He would be staying home to work yet again tomorrow.

When Ana did awake the next day, she prayed it had all been a dream. She had nobody. Why did Ryan Gordon have to come into their lives and cause Christian to yet again go off the rails? _He _was the one who was making her a virtual prisoner in this sterile home, the one who had awakened Christian's demons and making him chase the impossible dream of retaining control over everything. She had barely been updated on the case since Christian had first told her, but the quicker security tracked Ryan Gordon down, the sooner Ana could try and bring Christian back down again. It was going to get worse before it got better.

It was 11am, Ana catching up on the work she missed from yesterday having been much too distressed to even open the next couple of manuscripts. Being cut off from your friends and family did that to you.

Snapping her out of work mode, though, was the front door as she saw the bright and vibrant face of Mia Grey walk on in, wearing a pair of jeans and grey tank top and looking happy and relaxed in stark contrast to Ana's tatty sweat pants and hoodie.

"Hey, Ana!" she trilled, her brows furrowing as soon as she caught sight of her sister-in-law. "Are you okay? You look tired, are you sick?"

Ana tried to put on a smile, but she could already feel it falter.

"No, no, I'm fine," she tried to brush off, trying not to meet her concerned gaze.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Is my brother around?"

"Yeah, he's working from home today in the study. Should I tell him you're here?"

"No, it's fine. Security knows I'm here and just…" Mia took a few steps closer to Ana at the kitchen counter, quickly pulling her towards her as she dropped the sweetness and light act.

"Ana, listen to me carefully. I know what he's doing," she whispered, looking around the room. "Kate's been trying to call and email you for the past few weeks. She knows everyone you know has been blocked. I need you to use my cell to call Kate, she has something to tell you, go in the bathroom and call her while I go distract Christian, she'll tell you everything."

She quickly shoved her cell in Ana's hands before she could respond just as they heard the study door open.

"Go! Put it in your pocket, hurry! I'll stall him! I _swear, _I'll tell you everything later."

Just as Ana got up from her seat, Christian entered the kitchen, pursing his lips as Mia bounded up to him with a hug, playing the role of dutiful sister.

"Hey, Christian! Thought I'd come over, I'm so _bored!_ Take me shopping, perhaps?"

"Mia, you know I can't, I have work and the Ryan Gordon business to deal with…"

"_Please_, Christian?"

He tried to ignore her, his attention soon turning to Ana.

"What are you two talking about, then?" he asked, a slight edge to his voice.

"I was trying to get her to go shopping with me!" Mia trilled. "But _she_ has to work, too!"

Ana laughed, trying to sound enthusiastic. Just get out of here, don't give yourself away, just get to the bathroom…

"I would love to, but I am weighed down here at the moment," she replied.

"And Ana _wouldn't_ be going out anyway," Christian cut in. "She's not to leave the house at all until the Gordon case is dealt with."

"Well, can I at least hang out with you for a bit?" Mia asked, putting on the puppy dog eyes. "C'mon, I barely _see_ you!"

Christian twisted his lips, mulling it over while Ana finally made her move.

"Aww, Christian, let her hang out with you," she cooed. "While you two chat, I'll be going to the bathroom, if you don't mind."

She quickly ducked out of the kitchen before Christian could say otherwise, racing to the bathroom and locking the door behind her, her hand shaking as she dialled Kate's number. She picked up after the first couple of rings.

"Ana? Ana, are you there? Where's Mia?"

"Mia's in the kitchen stalling Christian, she said I had to call you on her cell. Why did you come over yesterday, what's wrong? Mia said you knew something…"

"Ana, listen to me," Kate told her. "I've been 'researching' this Ryan Gordon guy and his business, by which I mean I _know _Christian is a piece of shit that isn't telling us something and I decided to look into it."

"What _about _Ryan Gordon? Did you find something on him, has he been trying to hunt us down?"

"Ana, _listen_ carefully. There is _no_ Ryan Gordon or Gordon Enterprises. They don't _exist. _Christian's trying to scare you so he can keep you locked up at Escala for as long as he can. It's all bullshit, Ana."

She couldn't speak. She couldn't believe it… No. _No._

"Ana? Ana, are you there? _Ana?_"

She nearly dropped the phone.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ana, he's been lying to you about _everything!_ You think he's this billionaire CEO or whatever, but you should see the latest reports about Grey Enterprises losing investors left, right and centre. The company's going down the proverbial shitter ever since those allegations of fraud and insider trading came out. Christian barely knows what he's doing anymore. He's being dragged to the business tribunal for his erratic behaviour lately with GEH later this week!"

Ana felt herself go numb, leaning against the basin as she could feel her whole world crumbling before her.

"But… he's told me _none _of this. He's always so vague about GEH and – "

"Gee, I wonder _why_, Ana? Probably because Christian's about to run the whole thing into the ground and could end up the next Bernie Madoff in the near future?" Kate snapped. "How do you think he's been funding this lavish lifestyle you two have been living this whole time? The honeymoon, the garish wedding, the new house, the apartment, _everything!_ He's using _investors'_ money, that's what! He hasn't been declaring money on taxes for over a year now!"

"Wait, what about all the money for Darfur and the new satellite cell phone?!" Ana knew she was clutching at straws now. She knew the answer wasn't going to be good, but she was holding on for dear life trying to keep her fantasy life afloat.

"Ana, Christian hasn't donated _a cent_ to charity. He bought all that publicity about it to make the company look good. There's no record of him ever going there, but there's some shady dealings he's had with people in the region with a couple of groups who've been associated with arms dealers and government corruption, though. All that money people have donated to his 'charity' is still in GEH's coffers. He's been spending on his own luxuries. And there's no evidence Christian's been making some new-fangled satellite phone or whatever. No patents, no blueprints, _nothing."_

Ana couldn't force the words out. Christian was stealing from charity. He was stealing from investors. He had practically been doing business with warlords in Darfur. He had been spending the money on himself and her, the blood money of _others_. She felt so dirty she just wanted to scrub herself clean, completely raw to the skin until she couldn't feel it anymore.

Christian Grey was nothing but a complete monster.

"Don't worry, Ana. Elliott, Mia and I are gonna get you out of this," Kate assured. "We're gonna pick you up at 12 tomorrow while Christian's out, we're gonna help you escape."

"Wait, how do _you_ know Christian's going to be out tomorrow?" Ana asked, finding it hard to breathe wondering just what else could go wrong.

Kate sighed on the other end before she answered.

"Ana… Christian says he's got a meeting to go to, but… he's cheating on you. Elliott caught him having sex with some girl in his office when he went to see him last week. He basically threatened Elliott that he'd destroy him financially if he ever told anyone about it. I don't know how long he's been seeing her, but I only just found about it a few days ago. I'm so sorry, Ana."

Ana felt her knees give out as she stumbled onto the floor, sick to her stomach. This man, _her husband_, the very man who wouldn't so much as let her be in the direct eye line of another guy was _fucking_ some stupid skank behind his back. This man who got jealous of some silly crush Ana had on some actor in a movie had been caught balls deep by his own brother with some other woman. _This man who made it a point that she was his and his only was giving it to some other girl behind her back… _He thought he was so invincible, so powerful that he would never get away with it.

"Ana, look, I'll tell you everything else tomorrow," Kate told her. "Just go back into the kitchen, try to act as calm as possible. I know that's stupid to say after all this shit I just dumped on you, but you just have to make it till tomorrow. Don't worry, the nightmare's gonna be over soon, I swear. Just _please_ hold on, I'm begging you."

Ana took a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to beat the shit out of the man who had forced her to remain in a glorified prison this whole time, who was living nothing but a lie and planning to never let her out again while he got to rob others and fuck some other girl on the side. Did he _really_ think he could keep this going? How could she have never seen any of this coming? Ana wanted to smack herself out right about now.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Kate," she said, trying to hold back the tears. "Thank you."

"Be strong, Ana. I promise, we're gonna make things right. I love you."

"Love you, too."

Ana quickly hung up, trying to push down the anger as she swung open the bathroom door and headed back into the kitchen. As soon as she caught sight of Christian, she practically had to restrain herself for going straight for the jugular and killing him where he stood. Mia, meanwhile, looked back at Ana gravely, biting her lip nervously as it was pretty clear she knew why.

"What took you so long?" Christian snapped. "I thought you'd escaped."

Ana rolled back her shoulders, ready to get into character as much as it pained her.

"Escaped where?" she trilled, feeling sick to her stomach as she forced a smile. "I went to the bathroom, Christian."

"Where did you think she went, Siberia?" Mia cut in, forcing a laugh of her own. "Geez, Christian, lighten up!"

As jovial as Mia tried to make it, Ana could feel just how volatile the atmosphere had grown. She wondered just what Mia had said to get Christian to stay in one place for so long. She was surprised Christian didn't pound down the door demanding that her time was up.

Mia had stuck around for another hour or so, Ana thankful for another presence in the house, otherwise she'd have been gagging Christian with that stupid grey tie of his right about now. The whole time Mia spoke, Ana had mentally been slapping herself about. She knew Christian had been controlling. She knew Christian was manipulative and played the bad childhood card to guilt her into following his whims. She knew Christian steamrolled over whatever concerns she had and interfered with her life, from her job to her family to even her eating habits. She knew he threatened her and spoke to her in the most disturbing terms. She knew he was nothing but a spoilt brat and a hypocrite and couldn't keep track of his own ridiculous standards all the time. She knew Christian all-out lied straight to her face.

So why was she still here with him?

Ana had dismissed Christian's psychotic tendencies at first, like just _happening _to know where she worked at the hardware store back in Seattle and pushing her into that strange coffee date back then where he kept telling Ana he wasn't the man for her. The alarm bells should've been going off loud and clear. Hell, even Kate said she didn't trust him.

But it was _Christian Grey._ She had never actually heard of him before, but he acted like he was kind of a big deal with his security detail and flashes of cash at the finest hotels and restaurants and vague claims of helping to feed the hungry in Darfur. He was _saving others_, he _cared_. How could Ana argue with that?

And he was so beautiful, the strong cut of his jaw, the windswept copper hair and magnetic grey eyes, Ana couldn't see past anything else. For once, she had the handsome upperclassman coming after _her_ instead of fading into the background and being overlooked in favour of the more confident and self-assured women she loathed yet longed to be like. She was flattered. Nothing could kill the vibe. She was living in a fantasy, just like the heroines she thought fancied such attention in the many books she read. He even bought her first edition Thomas Hardy novels! He was the dashing knight she had always dreamt of, had devoted many lines of teenage angst to wanting to find someone like him in her diaries, the polar opposite of her mother's less-than desirable suitors of the past.

That was until Christian's true nature could no longer be ignored. Even then, Ana thought she was doing all he wanted, being the very girl he desired, living up to his ridiculous expectations as he manipulated her into putting her atop a pedestal that didn't truly exist. She thought nothing of him tapping her phone after just a couple of meetings and tracking her down at the club when Jose tried to force himself on her. He was just at the right place at the right time, wasn't he? He was keeping her safe, somebody had to, you never know when another Jose might strike in this place... She was _Christian's_ now, it was okay.

Ana allowed him to take her back to his hotel room at God knows where while she was passed out and remove her pants. She wish she could've gone back to find Kate, she should've just gotten a cab or something... But Christian had gone to all the trouble of buying all those clothes and ordering breakfast and wanting to bite her lip (no one had ever said such a thing to her, it was sexy, it was only for her, _no one_ else...), she didn't want to leave. She couldn't.

He had given her a reason to come back for more. It was the typical bad boy allure of being told to stay away. Ana never had anything that exciting happen to her. She was lil' ol' Ana Steele being pursued by Richie Rich, how could she refuse?

But after that night when he managed to get inside Kate's apartment and let her know how 'nice' it was knowing him as she sat all alone in her room, he watching from the door until she noticed out of the corner of her eye and tying her to the bed, Ana started to have her doubts. She really wish she had meant it was 'nice' knowing him after all, that that would've been the end of it and had just sent back the laptop and listened to instinct after all. She thought becoming the bondage goddess Christian was making her sign up to be would help ease things, maybe he'd eventually want her even more, that she would get used to it with time... She had read that all different people got involved with BDSM, that it was all about making the other person feel comfortable and, above all else, being safe, sane and consensual. If you had any concerns, you should discuss it with your lover.

Except whenever Ana discussed aspects of the contract she didn't agree about with Christian, he seemed to always be in the habit of turning it into a reason as to why they _should_ do something after all. He said it was all about knowing the difference between pleasure and pain, but why did Christian always manage to make her feel like there never really ever was much of one?

Soon enough, Christian was calling all the shots and Ana couldn't get a word in. But it was all worth it, right? She was dating _the _Christian Grey, after all. Everywhere they went, he attracted attention, making a big deal of his security detail and sweeping any area they went like he was the fucking President. Other guys stared at him with expressions of envy, other women with unbridled lust...

...At least that's how Ana _saw_ it, imagining how everybody just had to be falling over themselves just to get a look at her and Christian. She wanted to be the centre of attention so badly she was creating her own little fantasy as she went along, so intoxicating was the world of Christian Grey Ana was willing to keep it going just a little longer to escape her mundane reality. She was just out of college, she didn't want to have to contend with job hunting and moving house and coping without a safety net just yet, she just wanted someone to protect her from it all... She thought Christian would fix everything. She thought he would keep it all together.

Ana thought getting married would change everything. Christian would ease up on all the Red Room of Pain stuff, that Christian would become more loving, more mellow and ready to calm down, that he had all those other women and other urges to control out of his system. He had _love_ now and would no longer be that sad little boy he forever reminded her of. Everyone else had been more than encouraging her to get married, she thought she was doing the _right thing_…

But now the nightmare couldn't be denied any longer. Christian thought he had her trapped now because he'd managed to get a ring on her finger. She was an asset. She was a commodity. She was nothing and nobody anymore. She didn't even _feel_ like Anastasia Grey. Who was she supposed to be? It was all just struggling to play a role she knew she could never fulfil, that she didn't _want_ to fulfil anymore…

Ana had to get out.

Mia finally bid her goodbyes, holding on tightly to Ana in an unspoken promise. Ana fought the tears back.

After she left, Christian had already made his way over to Ana, pulling her close as he began kissing along her jaw.

"How about we take a break? C'mon, your work can't be _that_ important," he whispered as he pulled her hair to force her head up.

Ana could feel her neck tense under the strain, quickly pulling herself free.

"How about you tell me what you and Mia chatted about?" she asked.

Christian made a sharp breath through his nose, annoyed at Ana's response.

"Nothing, just about some party she was at and how she was thinking about going for another trip to Europe soon. _That's_ why you denied me, to ask about my ditz of a _sister_?"

"Geez, Christian, _calm down_, I just wanted to know what you two were talking about," Ana replied, unable to hide the irritation in her voice as she stepped away from him. "She _is_ family, after all. Has she heard anything about Ryan Gordon at all?"

"No," Christian answered sharply. "My family will be kept informed when I allow them. The more Taylor and I keep track of his movements, the better. There's nothing for anyone to worry about, I know what I'm doing."

"Then what about work, can we at least spend five minutes and talk about your work for once?" Ana suddenly found herself wanting to know more, trying to weigh up how Christian would exactly answer. Let's see how the lying piece of shit responds.

"What's to talk about?"

Christian took a step closer to her, that usual smoulder in his eyes when he was just about ready to pounce.

"C'mon, Ana. Maybe there's _another_ topic of interest you'd like to become acquainted with. I think you know it quite well…"

"But you barely ever talk about work," Ana told him, not taking the bait. "I'm just curious to know what my husband and his magnificent mind have been up to with this new satellite cell phone."

Christian was still hesitant to answer as he tried to busy himself, suddenly walking over to the kettle on the countertop. Odd…

"You wouldn't _understand_, Ana. It's mostly top secret, we're trying to keep everything under wraps. Especially in the wake of the Ryan Gordon debacle and trying to work out the patent…"

Ah, yes. The _elusive_ Ryan Gordon… who didn't actually exist.

"How _is_ the case on Ryan Gordon?" Ana asked, trying to fight the edge from creeping into her voice. "Haven't heard much about him, either."

I _told_ you already, Ana, Taylor is on the case." Christian gripped the marble countertop. "_Why_ must you concern yourself in my business for?"

Ana raised her brows at him.

"Well, considering Ryan Gordon apparently made threats against _me_ as well as you, I think I have a right to know the current psycho trying to infiltrate their way onto our lives…"

Christian leaned over the counter, Ana meeting his hard gaze.

"_Watch _that smart mouth of yours. I told you, everything is being dealt with."

Ana slowly sat on one of the barstools.

"But that's the problem, Christian," she sighed. 'You don't tell me _anything_, even when our lives are in danger I feel like sometimes I don't even _know_ you…"

Now she knew more than she ever did want to. Christian Grey was a corrupt businessmen-cum-warlord in the making who had a narcissism complex the size of the Grand Canyon who held her captive while conducting an affair in his own office…

"Ana, you _do_ know me. _All_ of me. You know because of my rough start to life that I have trouble sharing myself with others…"

'_Yeah, but it's perfectly okay for you to rifle through other people's personal records…' _Ana thought to herself. She couldn't fall for his sad boy routine here, trying to deflect her from asking questions. Not anymore. Not when all she wanted to do beat the ever-loving shit out of him right about now…

"Look, I just want to ask about your day and what you've been up to, alright? Isn't that what wives do, asking their husbands about their day? Above all else, I just wanna know that we're safe." Ana told him, trying to pour on the sweetness in her voice. It made her feel sick just thinking about it.

Christian's gaze softened a little, Ana knowing she had touched a nerve.

"Well, that _is_ sweet of you, Mrs Grey," he replied, softly stroking her face. Ana could feel her skin crawl as he did. "But all is well. Don't worry that pretty little head of yours. And you're safe with me, of course. I'll _never_ let you go, Mrs Grey. They would have to pry you from my cold, dead hands if they _tried_." He then kissed her forehead and walked over to the cupboard to pull out a coffee mug.

Ana felt herself go cold. For someone whose business was about to implode from under him and freely lying to anyone and everyone with no weight on his conscience, Christian sure was pretty blasé about it all. But that was the Christian Grey way, wasn't it? Deluded yourself into believing you were still master of your universe, that all it took was _thinking_ you could control everything around you and it would all magically fall into place?

"Don't you have work to do or something?" Christian asked, heading over to the fridge. "You were the one who insisted on working from home, remember?"

Ana rolled her eyes as he turned his back on her. She slipped herself off the barstool and wandered back over to her laptop in the living room, now counting down the hours until she could escape this place. The thought of finally leaving scared the hell out of her, but she knew it had to happen. No matter where Mia, Elliot and Kate were taking her, _anything _had to be better than living with the monster that was Christian Grey.

Ana hadn't slept a wink. She had tried to keep her eyes close in case Christian noticed, but she was just too wired. Today was truly going to be her independence day. She just prayed she would get out of it alive.

As Christian got ready for his 'meeting' that morning, Ana looked around the bedroom and wondered what she would grab first, making a note of what clothes to take and how quickly she could pack up her books. What about work? She couldn't just up and leave without giving them some sort of excuse… But then she remembered Christian had all her numbers blocked. She gritted her teeth at the thought. To think she was just going to sit at home 24/7 while he robbed investors and fucked around with some other woman in his office. And to have the audacity to _scare_ her with some imaginary threat in the form of 'Ryan Gordon'…

"What are you thinking?"

"Huh?"

Snapping Ana out of her reverie, Christian pulled her up from the corner of the bed and kissed her hard. Ana tried to slowly pull herself out of his grasp, but it only made him all the more determined, holding her tightly in place as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Ana fought the urge to gag.

"_What_ are you thinking?" he asked more tersely once he stopped, still holding her by the arm. "You worry me when you get so lost in thought."

Ana fought her rising anger. Why, because she _might_ have an independent thought of her own for once? What did he want, to reach into her mind and pluck every little thought out of there? Ana knew Christian would if he could.

"Just how long your meeting was going to take. I didn't even know you had one today."

"Miss me already, huh?" he replied, smiling smugly to himself. "Nothing special, just some tedious discussion on sales figures for this quarter," he drawled, grabbing his jacket off the chaise lounge in the corner.

Ana clenched her fists. Yeah, just your usual day at GEH fuck over the futures of willing investors, then off to fuck your mistress on top of your sandstone desk in your grossly palatial office. She must've known Christian was married. The thought disgusted Ana. To go after someone else's husband with absolutely no care whatsoever. How could no one _not_ know Christian had a wife, the news about their wedding had been splashed across the papers and he had made a big deal of announcing it to everyone in the office not long after getting engaged to, in his words, 'inform everyone that you are now mine and only mine.'

He had made such a big deal out of the wedding, wanting desperately to marry so soon after getting engaged he had been way more enthusiastic about the proceedings than Ana ever was. When she looked back on it all now, Ana didn't really remember much. It had all been kind of a blur. Even then, she had remember the lingering dread as she walked down the aisle, that something just wasn't right, but pressing it down as Ana had reminded herself that she may never get the chance to marry again if she didn't do it. At 22, no less.

Christian pulled her to him one last time, his fingers running through her hair and tugging at the roots. She squirmed in his arms before they finally came up for air.

"Goodbye, Mrs Grey," he said, as he smiled at her one last time before heading out the door. "Don't go anywhere. I'll know."

Ana swallowed hard.

"Bye, Christian."

_Yeah, see you in hell, you piece of shit._

As soon as he closed the door, Ana was on edge. 12 o' clock couldn't come quick enough, nervously pacing about her room as she began packing up her laptop and throwing clothes into a bag. She didn't think there would be any need for all those designer dresses and bikinis Christian had further forbid her from wearing. That _he_ had bought for her. She had no idea where she was going, but they were most likely not going to be appropriate for being on the move.

In what time she still had left, she also managed to fit in a quick shower. When she did step out, Ana looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, truly looking at herself closely for the first time in months and was shocked at the sight. Her face was gaunt. She had bags under her eyes. The red marks from the handcuffs still left welts. She looked like she hadn't been fed in weeks and her arms hung limply by her sides. She felt as if the energy had been drained out of her.

She was a mess. Ana couldn't believe she used to think the Christian Grey effect was making her look _better_. Not even all the most expensive clothes and makeup and jewellery in the world could hide the fact she was practically falling apart. Ana wanted to cry, but she retained her composure. Now was not the time. She just had to make it out of here…

After drying her hair and getting dressed into some jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, the first time she had worn something different in the past few weeks, she looked over at the digital clock on the dresser: 11:50.

With one last sweep of the place, Ana grabbed her DVDs and iPod from the media room, along with the personal dossier Christian had created containing everything and anything about her. He was keeping no part of her any longer. Anastasia Steele was taking herself back any way she could.

With five minutes to spare, there was a knock on the door. Ana nearly jumped out of her skin. She knew Elliot, Mia and Kate were coming, but a part of her still feared Christian had returned.

_Please don't be him, please don't be him, please don't be him…_

"Ana? Ana, it's okay, it's me, Kate. We're coming in, okay?"

Ana felt her shoulders slump, breathing a sigh of relief. As Kate made her way in with Mia and Elliot in tow, Ana couldn't help but run up and hug her. Kate pulled her closer, unwilling to let go. This time, Ana couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Ana, it's okay, I _swear_ we're getting you out of this,' Kate soothed. "Even if I have to tear Christian apart myself…"

Ana quickly got her bags from the bedroom, while Mia carried her books out for her. Ana was just about to head over to get her Mac from the living room, but Elliot quickly stopped her.

"Wait, leave those behind. The Mac's got tracking and keylogger software on it."

Ana's stomach sank. She should've known. Not a place to hide in the apartment…

"Leave the BlackBerry, too," Elliot added. "We need to make it look like you're still here."

Ana basically rushed out of the apartment with what little she still owned. She didn't want to look at the apartment one last time, it was just too much. If she was going to truly erase Anastasia Grey from the world, then she couldn't look back. This was her liberation and she was more than ready to reclaim Anastasia Steele once more. It wasn't going to be easy, Christian would make sure of that but Ana was more than ready for the challenge.

Mia, Elliott and Kate quickly ushered her down the hall before Ana could decide otherwise.


	4. Chapter 4

When they all hopped into the waiting SUV, Ana was startled to realise Taylor was the one behind the wheel.

"Wait, why is _he…"_

"Miss Steele, I assure you I no longer work for Mr Grey," he told her, leaving the curb as they soon took off towards Sea-Tac Airport. "In due time, I will explain the situation to you in further detail, but I promise you your safety is my utmost responsibility."

Ana breathed a sigh of relief. Taylor had always been a comforting presence to her, especially with Christian's erratic moods. He might have worked for her husband, but Taylor had always treated her with respect. Ana had always gone out of her way to be friendly to Taylor and even share a joke or two every now and then, but Christian constantly put a stop to it with his childishness, forever accusing her of 'flirting' with the staff. Not that Christian would ever be able to recognise politeness and common decency right in front of him.

Kate turned to Ana, sharing the backseat together as she quickly took her best friend's hand in hers.

"It's okay," Kate assured her. "We're almost there, Ana. You'll be far out of the country before that sick creep realises it."

They had to snatch the window of opportunity while they still could. Ana's heart was racing so fast, she thought it would burst out of her chest. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans for the umpteenth time.

Tears threatened to run as the stress weighed down on her like lead, unable to shake the feeling.

"I'm scared, Kate. Real scared of what he might do. He has so much money and all these yes-men surrounding him, he might –"

"Well you know what?" Kate exclaimed, tightening Ana's hand in her grasp. "My family's got a lotta money, too. They're not afraid of spoilt, nouveau-riche dickbags like Grey puffing up their chests thinking money talks. Guys like Grey are nothing but a joke in business circles. All money, no fucking sense."

"Don't worry, Kate's parents know you're on your way," Elliot chipped in from the passenger's seat. They'll house you up at their place in London for the time being. Just as long as you're far away from that psychopath is all that matters."

Ana blinked back tears. She and Christian went to London during their honeymoon. Not on her volition, mind you. Rather, she had been cooped up the whole time in their opulent hotel room at The Savoy, Ana desperately wanting to go visit The Travel Bookshop in Notting Hill, the same one from the Hugh Grant movie. Instead, Christian had demanded she stay inside and not to go anywhere until he came back while he went to some damn business conference. During their _honeymoon_. _'You don't know __who's__ out there,' _he told her, _'I won't have you without me for a second…'_

Ana shuddered at the memory. She had always wanted to go to England and Christian ruined that for her, too.

Kate made a sharp breath through her nose, blinking back tears of her own.

"Kate, are you okay?" Ana asked.

She took an even deeper breath this time, hanging her head.

"It's just... It's_ my_ fault," Kate cried. "I should _never _have made you go to that fuckin' interview in my place, I was being lazy and I panicked when I got sick, I should've just cancelled! I'm so sorry, Ana. This wasn't worth it, I can't _take_ it! If I had known what a psycho he truly was... I wish I had known, I wish I had gotten my hands on all that research I found earlier."

"Kate, it's fine," Ana replied, stroking her shoulder. "No one saw it coming, how were _we _to know? Seriously, what are the odds? What are the odds some supposed billionaire was gonna come after me and stalk me all around Seattle, huh?"

"Unfortunately, Miss Steele, Mr Grey has a long history of this type of behaviour," Taylor explained. "For the past several years, I've been working on his case tracing back his history with the women he's been involved with. In the past decade or so, several of Christian Grey's past submissives have gone missing, and the girls who are still around refuse to speak to the FBI. I've been working as a security guard on Christian's payroll to gain access into his inner sanctum, see if we can get any more evidence on the case."

Ana felt the pit of her stomach burn. She knew there had been other subs in the past. She knew Leila was now in art school and another had become a doctor, but Christian never elaborated on the others. _He_ threw a fit over some kid she used to make out with in 10th Grade, but _God forbid_ Christian Grey gave details about _his_ past loves. But all this time some of them were _missing_? He didn't… he wouldn't…

"Wait, are you saying Christian _murdered_ his past girlfriends?!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not at liberty to say, Miss Steele," Taylor told her. "We're not ruling anything out."

Ana leaned over as far as she could to reach Elliot.

"Wait, did _you_ know anything about this?" she asked him, almost on the point of hysteria. How could her own _best friend_ be dating the brother of a complete monster like this, did he know what his brother _was…_

Elliot sighed.

"I'm the one who went to the police in the first place a few years ago," he replied. "Ever since I could remember, Christian's… Well, he's never been all _there._ Something was always off about him, even when we were kids. I thought it was because he'd never had a real family before and still suffering from some childhood trauma, but when we finally got to high school…" Elliot swallowed hard, rubbing at his forearm. "He just… got _worse_ or something."

"Worse how?" said Ana. Mia had told her in the past

"Well, he got into trouble for fighting a lot," Elliot explained, "and he was expelled from about three or four other schools. We didn't even _know_ he had hooked up with Mrs Lincoln and she was one of Mom's oldest friends! I actually don't remember seeing him all that much at that time, especially when I ended up going off to college myself. But even then, I'd be hearing all the crap Christian was pulling at his new school…"

Ana nervously threaded her fingers in her lap.

"What crap?"

Elliot gave a humourless laugh.

"Where do I start? First, Christian tried to assault his history teacher and tried to throw a chair at him, then he was accused of stealing money from the school, accused of _sleeping_ with the principal's wife at one school, slapped one girl who turned him down, tried to choke another girl he was dating, was stalking _another _girl and constantly following her and getting all creepy telling her he couldn't stay away from her anymore… God _knows _what else."

Ana couldn't breathe. Dear God… _this_ was the man she had married after all?

Elliot's mood quickly changed, his brows furrowing as he rested his head on his hand, leaning his elbow against the window.

"And you know what the shittiest thing was? Mom _still_ made excuses for his bullshit. While I was the one busting my ass in school and studying, she and Dad were always down at whatever fucking school Christian was at the time trying to bribe the faculty to let him off the fucking hook! Mom always, _always_ coddled Christian, saying he was just this poor little lost boy or some fucking crap, that he 'needed our love' and we shouldn't fight him in any way, just let him go on pulling whatever crap he wanted. He pretty much could get away with murder, he probably _has_ by now!"

Ana didn't know what to say. The most awful thing of all is she _could_ imagine Christian getting away with murder, without remorse, without any thought whatsoever. In cold, stark detail, she imagined him finally tracking her down, finally making her pay for escaping him, choking the life out of her as his eyes remained blank…

"They never helped him, you know?" Elliot continued. "They ended up creating a monster. They didn't _want _to see Christian for who he really was. Even other people they knew could see him for what he really was, people who recommended that he should be taken to a psychologist, that he should be locked up, but Mom didn't want to hear it. Christian is her prodigal son. Even at the expense of Mia and me, Mom still made sure Christian had the best of everything. And we were just supposed to accept it. Seriously, Mom made such a big fucking deal about yours and his wedding, saying he'd _finally_ found the girl that was gonna save him. Yet she couldn't give _two shits_ about Ecole Construction signing off on one of out biggest jobs yet."

Ana could feel herself slowly deflate.

"Elliot, I'm _so_ sorry…"

He sighed, turning in his seat to face Ana.

"It's fine," he told her, turning in his seat and giving her a weak smile. "It's not your fault. I was just praying you'd eventually see Christian for who he really was."

She turned to Kate, watching as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Did you know all this, too?"

Kate nodded.

"Elliot told me the night after his mom invited you for dinner the first time. At first, I didn't want to believe him, but I couldn't ignore it. I tried to tell you, but… Christian was keeping tabs on us. He was threatening Elliot that he would come after me if he tried to spread any 'lies' about him to you. I couldn't do anything, I _wanted_ to tell you everything, I really did."

"What's new?" Elliot spat. "Christian runs _all_ our lives. Why do you think we walk on eggshells around him? That asshole can snap at any moment. We're all just dispensable to him, he can buy and sell you and cut you off without a moment's notice."

After over an hour or so, they finally arrived at the airport, Ana hopping out of the car and straining to control her unsteady legs. She was so close. Any moment now she would be flying out to London, far away from Christian, far away from all the madness and no longer feeling foolish. This wasn't her fault, she owed Christian _nothing_, she was no longer under his spell.

But still...

"What if he _finds _me, Kate?" Ana asked her, her head feeling so dizzy she swear she could feel herself spinning.

"He won't even have time to realise it," Kate assured her. "Besides…" she walked over towards Taylor just as he got out of the car, placing a hand on his shoulder and smiling."Taylor will be accompanying you all the way."

Ana's heart raced a little. She didn't realise Taylor would be _going_ with her, though she was incredibly thankful. She gave Kate a weak smile.

"Thank you so much, Kate. For everything, I just... After the way I treated you and everyone else, I don't deserve it. I forgot about everyone. I forgot about myself, I treated you like shit and I just..."

"Ana, it's alright. I'm not mad. Just no more psychopaths, okay?" she tried to joke.

Ana smiled once more.

"I promise. I _swear_."

Kate handed Ana the prepaid Tracfone out of her handbag.

"You need to call your dad at least. Tell him what's going on before you leave. My parents can fly him out and your mom, too, when it's safe to do so. They _really _love you, Ana."

She nearly started crying right there on the pavement, taking the phone from Kate's grasp.

"I will. I just wish I had told them. I thought they'd hate me if they found out what I was doing... What Christian was making me _do_."

"They _wouldn't _do that to you, Ana. I think it's more important that you're safe and sound no matter what."

Kate swept Ana up in a tight hug, practically squeezing her as she was almost afraid to let Ana go. She started to breathe a little easier now. Thank God for Katherine Kavanaugh. She owed her big time for this.

As she and Taylor walked into Sea-Tac with Kate and Elliot waving them off, Ana started to dial her dad's number, barely holding onto the prepaid cell as her hand started shaking once more. He picked up after a couple of rings

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Dad, it's Annie. Listen, I've got something to tell you. Don't worry, I'm okay, though..."


End file.
